Prayer Matters

God eagerly receives our prayers because when we bear others' needs in prayer as though they were our own, we allow Him to do what He could not have done if we had not prayed.

I learned this years ago when a group of us gathered around a dear hurting friend. As we were praying and weeping over her, Jesus spoke to my spirit: "I'm so glad you're doing this, because now I can do what I want to do." Our praying opens up possibilities for others that they would not have if we had not prayed. We are, indeed, our brother's keeper.

For instance, as more and more people are praying for Muslims, God is revealing himself by dreams and visions to this group in many places. One Muslim was suddenly awakened by a shining white figure by his bed, saying, "I am the Way; follow Me." This identical experience is reported to have happened in various places. In fact, in one area this same thing has happened 19 times and the 19 converts somehow found each other and now meet to pray!

Mothers who understand how important their prayers are in helping their children be victorious spiritually make prayer a priority. When one mother learned that something very evil had happened to her son, she was devastated. She wept for three days before the Lord.

"At the end of the third day God started reminding me of Jesus' prayer to His Father for the believers: 'I pray not that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil that is in the world.' Then He took me to the Lord's Prayer often. Praying this prayer has been a very big part of my life and prayer ever since."

As a result of her prayers, the evil that happened to her son actually brought him to a very personal acquaintance with Jesus that has grown and matured through the years.

Dear Jesus, help me to remember that when no one is praying, the enemy has an advantage.

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results" (Jam. 5:16 NLT).